1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to wheel hubs as are used on bicycles, and other types of wheel hubs, where the hub is free wheeling and provides separate bearing systems for minimizing radial and axial loads.
2. Prior Art
Wheel hubs, in our modern age, have incorporated bearings that are fitted between a wheel hub and axle to support axial loads and to minimize rolling friction forces. Such bearings have taken many forms and configurations but generally have provided bearing arrangements that are fitted between an axle and hub for supporting loads as are directed into the hub from a road surface and lateral or axial forces. Such arrangements usually consist of a pair of bearings that are fitted to each hub end and wherethrough an axle is positioned to support radial loads, often ignoring axial loads. Where bearing arrangements have been designed to handle both radial and axial loads, as for example frustum cone bearings as are used on automobile axles, such bearings lack efficiency, are subject to wear and require periodic inspections and repairs.
The present invention recognizes that forces as are directed axially into a hub axle cannot be ignored, nor can a single pair of bearings efficiently handle both loads as are directed from the road, or loads that are perpendicular to such road, and axial loads as are directed through the axle. Accordingly, the invention provides separate bearing arrangements for handling, respectively, radial loads as are directed perpendicular to a road surface and axial loads as are directed through an axle fitted through the hub. Specifically, the invention employs a pair of bearings that support the hub ends to an axle, and are for supporting radial loads, and further includes a pair of thrust bears, one located at each hub end, to separate the radial bearing in that hub end from a spacer or from a nut turner over an axle end, that support axial loads.
A wheel hub of the invention is constructed to provide low rolling resistance, greater load carrying capacity, is more reliable, and is therefore operated with less maintenance costs. The hub provides for mounting a wheel thereto, such as by spokes, with the hub connected at the spoke ends that, in turn, connect to a rim at the other spoke ends, as a free-wheeling wheel. Radial loads that are directed into the hub, as from a road surface, are supported by a pair of roller bearings, with one roller bearing mounted to or installed in each side of the hub and wherethrough an axle is fitted. Axial loads, as are directed into the hub are loads that are at a right angle to the radial loads, and are handled by thrust bearings that have center openings therein for fitting over the axle and are positioned into cavities formed in the hub sides. So arranged, each thrust bearing is positioned to have one side against an outer surface of a radial bearing, and with the other thrust bearing side maintained against a spacer and is held there with a nut turned over a threaded axle end.
The roller bearings are preferably standard bearings that include inner and outer racers that have cylindrical rollers or ball bearings journaled therebetween, and the thrust bearings are preferably like disk shaped plate that are maintained together around their outer circumferences, are open through their centers to pass the axle, and include radial slots that align in pairs to provide seats wherein individual needle bearings are journaled.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a hub that is free-wheeling and includes pairs of radial and thrust bearings that are for supporting, respectively, radial loads as are directed perpendicular into the hub, as from a road surface, and axial loads, as are directed into the hub through an axle and are essentially perpendicular to the radial loads.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a wheel hub where the radial bearings are conventional ball or roller bearings having inner and outer races with the balls or rollers journaled to turn freely therebetween.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a thrust bearing that includes like separate flat disks that are connected around their outer edges, are open through the center thereof to pass an axle therethrough, and include radial slots formed in each disk that align in pairs, each pair of aligned slots to receive a needle bearing journaled therein.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide an axle load support consisting of pairs of radial and thrust bearings that are easily assembled in and onto the hub ends, with the hub and bearings all including openings that align to pass an axle therethrough.
Still another object of the present invention is to provide a combination of a hub with radial and thrust bearings that are easily assembled to receive an axle fitted therethrough that is arranged to be mounted to a frame at the axle ends.